Cable operated system for a hinged door



Jan. 20, 1959 T. L. URQUHART ,8 CABLE OPERATED SYSTEM FOR A HINGED DOOR Filed Oct. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l I J y j W F l l #I II I I 36 E T I A 6 (7 I IN VEN TOR.

THORNTON L.URQUHA R Z Jan. 20, 1959 T. L. URQUHART 2,869,862

CABLE OPERATED SYSTEM FOR A HINGED DOOR Filed Oct. 5, 1955 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. THORNTON L URQUHAR Jan. 20, 1959 T. L. URQUHART 2,869,362

I CABLE OPERATED SYSTEM FOR A HINGED DOOR Filed Oct. 5, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 2,869,862 CABLE OPERATED SYSTEM son A HINGEDDOOR Thornton L. Urquhart, Farmington, Mich., assignor to Byrue Doors, Inc., Ferndale, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application'October 5, 1955, Serial No. 538,5 96

Claims. (Cl. 268-74) The invention relates to door operating systems and refers more particularly to mechanical systems for moving doors which can be used as closures for crane runway openings and airplane tail openings.

' 'The invention has for oneof its objects to provide a door operating system in which a door leaf can be moved to'open and closed positions by cable means.

ice

To cooperate in controlling the opening and closing movement of the leaf 5, I have provided the horizontal tracks 7 which extend transversely of the airplane tail opening and pivotal axis inwardly of the hangar from above the pivotal axis, these tracks being supported by frame members on the main framework of the hangar. Each track is formed of the opposed'channels 8 with their flanges extending toward each other and the opposed angles 9 secured to the insides of the webs of the channels, the angles having flanges cooperating with the v lower flanges of the channels to form a guide for rollers The invention has for another object to provide yieldable means for maintaining the cable means taut during the opening and closing of a door leaf and to so position the parts of the operating system that in the closed position of the door leaf the cable means remains taut independently of the yieldable means.

The invention has for a further object to provide a door operating system in which use is made of brace means for opening and closing a door leaf. I

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figurel is an outside elevation of an airplane hangar having a door operating system embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line of 22 of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively an outside elevation and a top plan view of Figure 2;

Figures 5 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross sections on the lines 55, 6-6, 77, 88 and 99 of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a view taken on the line -1010 of Figure 11 showing the door open;

Figure 11 is a semi-diagrammatic plan view of Figure 10.

In the present instance, the door operating system is designed fora door of an airplane hangar for closing an airplane tail opening although it is to be understood that the operating system mayalso be used for doors of-other buildings. As illustrated, the airplane tail door 1 closes the upright opening in the airplane hangar through which may pass the tail of an airplane, the body' of which is adapted to pass through the uprightmain opening closed by the door structure 2 below the door 1. The door structure 2 may be of any suitable construction but as generally shown it comprises .a pair of doors 3, eachhaving-a series of leaves 4 arranged withinthe airplane hangar in upright parallel relation'with the leaves of each series transversely offset with'respect to each other so that they may be moved relatively to' each other to open and closed position. My co-pending application Serial No. 3 85,464 filed October 12, 1953, illustrates a door and its operating system which may form part of the door structure 2.

The door has shown, is a leaf 5 of standard construction which, when used with the door structure 2 above described, has the guide means 6 fastened to its lower edge for the aligned lead leaves 4 of the doors 3. The leaf 5 is pivotally connected at its upper edge to the framework of thehangar above the airplane tail opening and-is adapted to swing inwardly and upwardly about the pivotal axis'to open position.

which Will be mentioned later. The tracks pivotally support the leaf 5 by means of the hinge brackets 10, each of which is adjustably secured to the lower sides of the channels 8 of each track by suitable means, such as bolts extending through slots in the bracket providing for adjustment of the bracket longitudinally of the track.

For also cooperating in controlling the opening and closing movement of the leaf5, I have provided linkages corresponding in number to the tracks '7'. Each linkage comprises the vertical arm 11, the compensating arm 12, the brace arm 13 and the compensator 14. The hinge bracket 10 has the depending arms 15 at the outer ends through which passes the pivot pin 16'. The vertical arm 11 is secured to the inner side of the leaf 5, as by being bolted thereto, and has secured to its upper end the transverse arms 17 encircling 'the pivot pin 16. The compensating arm 12 also encircles the pivot pin 16. As a result, it will be seen that the vertical arm and the compensating arm areconnected to the hinge bracket by the same pivot pin. The brace arm 13 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the vertical arm 11 near its lower end and carries at its upper end the rollers 18 which engage the lower flanges of the channels 8 and the inwardly extending flanges of the angles 9, and as a result are guided'by the track 7'formed of these flanges. The cornpensator 14 is formedof the telescopic upper and lower -members 19 and 20, respectively, which are respectively 40' pivotally connected to the compensating arm 12 by the pivot pin 21 and to 'a bracket on the vertical arm 11 by the pivot pin 22. The telescopic upper and lower mem bers house the spring 23 which resiliently urges the pivoted pin 21 upwardly and outwardly thereby swinging the compensating arm 12 about the pivot pin 16.

For the purpose of opening andclosing the leaf 5, I have provided drum-operated cables 24. Each cable is reeved over a drum 25 and extends over sheaves on the associated-hinge bracket 10, compensating arm 12, and brace arm 13 and is anchored at onesend to the upper end of the brace arm and is operatively connected at the other end to the lower edge of the leaf 5 and is anchored to this leaf at an elevation providing sufiicient room for adjustment. Each drum 25 is. part of a drum unit mounted on the upper sides of the channels 8 of the tracks 7 and is a helical drum having a ring gear 26' at one end meshing with apinion 27 on the stub shaft 28 journalled in bearings carried by the frame of the drum unit. There :is one drum for each linkage and all the drums form part ofthe drum unit and are connected by the line shaft 29-and the shaft 3ll'of the worm reducer 31 which is adapted to be driven by the electric motor 32. The hinge bracket 10 carries the axially aligned compensating sheaves 33 and 34 by means of the plates 10' forming part ofthe bracket and the deflector sheave 35 at an elevation above the compensating sheaves 33 and 34. The compensating arm 12 carries at its free end the compensating sheaves 36 and 37'and the brace arm 13 carries at its upper end the sheaves 38 and 39.

The ends of the cable 24-are both adjustably secured in place by means of the U-bolts 4t) and the nuts 41 threaded :upon the-legsof the U bolts. The cable has its intermediate portion extending around the shaft of the drum 25 with the two end portions extending out through axially aligned holes in the ends of the helical grooves in the drum. In the closed position of the leaf, one end portion 42 of the cable is wrapped turns around the drum and then extends along the path A over the deflector sheave 35, alongthe path B over the compensator sheave 36, along the path'C and over the sheave 33, along the path D beneath and up around the sheave 37, then along path E and over the sheave 34, then along path P and over the sheave 39 at the upper end of the brace arm 13 and finally along the path G to the U-bolt 4t adjustably secured to the upper end of the brace arm. In the closed position of the leaf, the other end portion 43 of the cable after passing out through the drum is wound around the drum for of'a turn, follows path H over the sheave 38 on the upper end of the brace arm 13, then follows the path K around the quarter spool 44 at the lower end of the vertical arm 11, along the path M and through the U-bolt 45 at the lower end of the brace arm 13 and,

finally along the path N to the U-bolt 40 which is adjustably mounted on the vertical arm 11.

When the leaf 5 is being moved from closed position to open position, the end portion 43 of the cable 24 is eifective to move the upper end of the brace arm 13 inwardly along the track for a considerable distance and to raise and swing upwardly and inwardly the lower edge of the leaf through the quarter spool 44 throughout the complete distance. During this time the other end portion 42 of the cable 24 is unwinding from the drum and allows the opening movement.

on the upper end of brace arm 13 to move the same outwardly of the hangar and through the brace arm to swing the lower edge of the leaf downwardly to closed position. During both the opening and closing movements, the compensator 14 exerts a yieldable pressure on the compensating arm 12 tending to keep the end portion 42 of the cable taut. However, during the very final portion of the closing movement, the parts assume posi tions such that the end portion 42 is taut without reliance upon the compensator 14.

As illustrated in the present instance there are two tracks, two sets of linkages, two axially aligned pivot pins for the tail door leaf, two cables and two drums, but it is apparent that the door operating system may be designed to operate with one or more than two of these elements.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at one edge to said building, a track extending transversely of the plane of the opening and the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at one end to said leaf at a point spaced from the pivotal axis thereof and guided at the other end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a compensating arm pivoted to said building, a compensator pivoted to said leaf and compensating arm, means for moving the track-guided end of said brace arm along said track in opposite directions to open and close said leaf including a sheave on said brace arm adjacent its track-guided end, sheaves on said track and compensating arm at the side of said first mentioned sheave toward said opening, the sheave on said compensating arm being spaced from the pivotal axis thereof, a drum on said building at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the edge of said leaf opposite the pivotal edge, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum, in driving engagement therewith, and a second end portion reeved over the others of said sheaves and connected to the trackguided end of said brace arm.

2, In a door operating system, abuilding having an This end portion, however, 15 effective in closing the leaf by exerting a pull opening, a door for the openingcornprising a leaf pivoted at one edge to said building, a track extending transversely of the plane of the opening and the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at one end to said leaf at a point spaced from the pivotal axis thereof and guided at the other end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a compensating arm pivoted to said building, means for moving the track-guided end of said brace arm along said track in opposite directions to open and close said leaf including a sheave on said brace arm adjacent its track-guided end, sheaves on said track and compensating arm at the side of said first mentioned sheave toward said opening, the sheave on said compensating arm being spaced from the pivotal axis thereof, a drum on said building at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the edge of said leaf opposite the pivotal edge, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith, and a second end portion reeved over the others of said sheaves and connected to the track-guided end of said brace arm, and means for swinging said compensating arm during movement of said leaf to maintain said cable taut.

3. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at one edge to said building, a trackextending transversely of the plane of the opening and the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at one end to said leaf and guided at the other end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, means for moving the track-guided end of said brace arm along said track in opposite directions to open and close said leaf including a sheave on said brace arm adjacent its track-guided end, a sheave on said track at the side of said first-mentioned sheave toward said opening, a drum on said building at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the edge of said leaf opposite the pivotal edge, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over said sheave on said track and connected to the track-guided end of said brace arm, and means for maintaining said cable taut during opening and closing movement of said leaf.

4. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at the upper edge to said building, a horizontal track extending transversely of the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower edge of said leaf and guided at its upperend by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a sheave on the upper end of saidbrace arm, a drum spaced from said sheave at the side thereof away from the opening in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave in the closed position of said leaf and connected to the lower edge of said leaf, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion connected to the upper end of said brace arm and having a bight located at the side of said sheave toward the opening in the closed position of said leaf.

5. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at the upper edge to said building, a track extending horizontally inwardly away from the opening and at right angles to the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower edge of said leaf and guided at its upper end by said track for movement.

brace arm, a sheave outwardly toward the opening from said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, a drum inwardly of said first-mentioned sheave away from the opening in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said first-mentioned sheave and connected to the lower edge of said leaf, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over said second-mentioned sheave and connected to the upper end of said brace arm.

6. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at the upper edge to said building, a track extending horizontally inwardly away from the opening and at right angles to the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower edge of said leaf and guided at its upper end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, means for moving the track-guided end of said brace arm along said track in opposite directions to open and close said leaf including a sheave on the upper end of said brace arm, a sheave outwardly of said' first-mentioned sheave toward the opening in the closed position of said leaf, a drum inwardly of said firstmentioned sheave away from the opening in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said first-mentioned sheave and connected to the lower edge of said leaf, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over said second-mentioned sheave and connected to the upper end of said brace arm, and means for maintaining said cable taut.

7. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf having its upper edge pivoted to said building, a horizontal track extending transversely of the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm having its lower end pivotally connected to the lower edge of said leaf and having its upper end guided by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a compensating arm pivoted to said building, common pivot means for said leaf and compensating arm, spring compensating means pivoted to said leaf and compensating arm, a sheave on said brace arm adjacent its upper end, sheaves on said compensating arm and track at the side of said first-mentioned sheave toward said opening, the sheave on said compensating arm being spaced from the pivotal axis thereof, a drum on said building at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the lower edge of saidleaf, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over the others of said sheaves and connected to the upper end of said brace 'arm, said sheaves occupying positions in the closed position of said leaf maintaining said cable taut independently of said compensating means.

8. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at the upper edge to said building, a horizontal track extending in one direction from said leaf transversely of the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at its lower end to the lower edge of said leaf and guided at its upper end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a compensating arm pivoted to said building, a sheave on said brace arm adjacent the upper end, sheaves on said compensating arm and track at the side of said first-mentioned sheave toward said opening, the sheave on said compensating arm being spaced from the pivotal axis thereof, a drum on said building at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the lower edge of said leaf, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over the others of said sheaves and connected to the upper end of said brace arm, and compensating means connected to said compensating arm for swinging the same and maintaining said cable taut, the movements of said brace arm and compensating arm during the final closing of the leaf maintaining said cable taut independently of said compensating means.

9. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at one edge to said building, a track extending transversely of the plane of the opening and the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at one end to said leaf at a point spaced from said pivotal axis and guided at the other end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof,

a sheave on said brace arm spaced from said one end thereof, a drum spaced from said sheave at the side thereof away from the opening in the closed position of said leaf and a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave in the closed position of said leaf and connected to the edge of said leaf opposite the pivotal edge, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion connected to the track guided end of said brace arm and having a bight located at the side of said sheave toward the opening in the closed position of said leaf.

10. In a door operating system, a building having an opening, a door for the opening comprising a leaf pivoted at one edge to said building, a track extending transversely of the plane of the opening and the pivotal axis, and means for opening and closing said leaf comprising a brace arm pivotally connected at one end to said leaf at a point spaced from said pivotal axis and guided at the other end by said track for movement lengthwise thereof, a sheave on the track-guided end of said brace arm, a second sheave on said track located at the side of said first-mentioned sheave toward the opening in the closed position of said leaf, a drum on said building located at the opposite side of said first-mentioned sheave in the closed position of said leaf, and a cable having an end portion reeved over said sheave on said brace arm and connected to the edge of said leaf opposite the pivotal edge, said cable having an intermediate portion reeved over said drum in driving engagement therewith and a second end portion reeved over said sheave on said track and connected to the track-guided end of said brace arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,324,106 Davis Dec. 9, 1919, 2,097,950 Johnson Nov. 2, 1937 2,159,040 Morgan May 23, 1939 2,388,182 Redding et al. Oct. 30, 1945 2,577,348 McLaughlin Dec. 4, 1951 

